In the past seven days, Fayette County Public Health (FCPH) has received reports of 174 new COVID-19 cases, 15 new hospitalizations and four new deaths.
There have been a total of 5,360 cases of COVID in the county since March 2020 (4,068 confirmed, 1,292 probable) and 407 residents have been hospitalized. Seventy-six deaths have been recorded, and 4,823 individuals are presumed recovered. (Presumed recovered is defined as cases with a symptom onset at or above 21 days prior who are not deceased).
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, director of the Ohio Department of Health, encouraged Ohioans to get vaccinated during an update on the situation facing hospitals in Ohio during a press conference on Wednesday.
“Yesterday we reported an all-time high of COVID-19 cases, with 12,502 cases seen within the previous 24 hours. That same day there were close to 4,797 people fighting COVID-19 in our hospitals, more than 1,200 of them in the ICU, and almost 800 on ventilators. All these patients require time, staff, and resources that are above and beyond what our hospitals are accustomed to handling this time of year.”
“With these numbers” he said, “we have a troubling picture, one that should be a wake-up call for every Ohioan as we think about our risk of getting sick with COVID-19, especially as we think about gathering with loved ones for holidays.
“We should all be very concerned about the tidal wave of COVID-19 hospitalizations, which again, are driven largely by unvaccinated Ohioans. The Delta and the Omicron variants are both highly contagious.
“Our hospitals need our help now,” Vanderhoff said, encouraging Ohioans to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19.
The Fayette County 14-day COVID test positivity rate for the period ending Dec. 14 remained steady from the previous period at 16.7 %, up 0.7% from the previous period.
Fayette County continues to experience a high level of community transmission of COVID-19 per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In areas with substantial and high transmission, CDC recommends that everyone (including fully vaccinated individuals) wear a mask in public indoor settings to help prevent the spread of Delta and protect others.
COVID Test Distribution
Fayette County Public Health distributed 500 at-home COVID test kits on Wednesday. Due to the high demand for testing, kits were all distributed within 18 minutes. If you were unable to obtain a test at this event and would like to test your family for a holiday gathering, you may be able to find test kits at pharmacies.
If you test for the holidays and your result is positive, please do the following:
Stay Home for 10 Days
– Stay home for 10 days from when your symptoms began. Do not go to public places or visit others during this 10-day infectious period.
– Return to activities on day 11 if you are fever-free for 24 hours and your symptoms have improved.
Keep Contacts Home
– Members of your household or others who have been within six feet of you for 15 minutes or longer or who you’ve shared eating utensils or drinks with during the two days before you had symptoms (or tested positive if you don’t have symptoms) or after, should also stay home and watch for symptoms.
– Contacts should stay home for 10 days after their last contact with you (or seven days with a negative test on day five or later). To reduce the quarantine time for members of your household, isolate to your own bedroom, use a separate bathroom, do not spend time in the common living areas of the home or prepare meals for others.
– Contacts who are vaccinated and who do not have symptoms do not need to stay home. They should watch for symptoms and wear a mask in public while you are sick and for another 10 days. If they develop symptoms, they should test for COVID.
– Contacts who had a diagnosed COVID infection in the past 90 days do not need to stay home.
Learn More at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html
Gathering Safely for the Holiday
• Choose to get vaccinated. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get vaccinated. A group of fully vaccinated individuals gathering for the holidays is the safest choice. If you are not fully vaccinated, indoor gatherings pose risks. Young children under age 5 are not eligible for vaccination. It’s important to take steps to keep the children in your families safe.
• If you’re age 16 or older, get your COVID-19 booster dose to strengthen your ongoing protection.
• Outdoors is safer than indoors. Depending on the weather and the setting, consider dining outdoors on a patio. Plan fun activities outdoors. If it’s chilly, bundle up in layers and protect your head, hands, and feet. When indoors, ensure proper ventilation. Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces, and open windows and/or use window fans to keep air circulating if possible.
• Space your dining areas. Consider several small dining tables spaced out restaurant-style. Members of different households could sit at different tables.
• Maintain safe distancing. Spread apart and maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance between people when possible.
Vaccination Clinics
Appointments are required for all FCPH Vaccination clinics. Please bring your COVID Vaccination Record if you have already received at least one dose and your health insurance card if you are getting a flu shot. Masks are required.
FCPH OFFICE –
All three COVID-19 vaccines, flu and high-dose flu will be available on the following dates from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Schedule online at faycohd.org/events or by phone – 740-335-5910.
– Wednesday, Dec. 29
– Tuesday, Jan. 11
The following are clinics for specific vaccines. These are by appointment only, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Scheduling is by phone only – 740-335-5910.
– Moderna – Jan. 3, 10, 24, 31
– Pfizer/Comirnaty – Jan. 7, 21, 28
– Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) – Jan. 5, 19, 26
FAYETTE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS – All three COVID-19 vaccines, flu and high-dose flu will be available. The health department office will be closed on these dates so that staff can work offsite at the clinic. Schedule online at faycohd.org/events or by phone – 740-335-5910.
– Tuesday, Jan. 4, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
– Tuesday, Jan. 18, 3 – 7 p.m.
– Tuesday, Jan. 25, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
For more information on vaccination clinic dates, visit faycohd.org/events or call 740-335-5910.
Who is Eligible:
– Flu Vaccine, 6 months and older
– High-dose Flu Vaccine, 65 years and older
– Pfizer/Comirnaty, 5 years and older
– Moderna, 18 years and older
– Johnson & Johnson, 18 years and older
Booster Eligibility:
– Pfizer/Comirnaty, 16 years and older, 6 months after second dose
– Moderna, 18 years and older, 6 months after second dose
– Johnson & Johnson, 18 years and older, 2 months after initial dose
Cost:
– COVID-19 – no cost
– Flu – Covered by insurance or $25 self-pay
– High-dose flu – Covered by insurance or $65 self-pay
FCPH accepts these insurance providers: Aetna, Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. Anthem BCBS Medicare, Buckeye, Caresource, Cigna (Allied Health), Humana, Medicaid of Ohio, Medical Mutual, Medicare B(for Flu and Pneumonia Only), Medigold, Molina, Ohio PPO Connect, Paramount, United HealthCare, United HealthCare Community Plan.
For more information visit faycohd.org or coronavirus.ohio.gov.
